Top 10 greatest Heavy Metal songs

It is the prevailing assumption that ideally the best heavy metal songs are littered with noise and cacophony. But in reality, heavy metal isn’t really meant to be all out noisy. yes, it could be a tad loud, but not necessarily. The noisiest and loudest heavy metal songs aren’t always thee best songs. Great heavy metal is normally characterized with heavy riffing, precision drumming and of course it also wouldn’t hurt if the lyrics were made a wee bit dark and somewhat surrealistic. Look at it this way, heavy metal songs sung solely about things like flowers, bliss, happiness, unicorns as well as other exquisitely beautiful things, wouldn’t really cut it. Not that they wouldn’t rock, it’s just that they wouldn’t really be heavy metal-ish or what is otherwise called being Hardcore. The typical heavy metal song is themed to depict, rage, struggle, suffering, death, Insanity, war, and of course apocalyptic occurrences. All of which as not really beautiful things, who am i kidding, all of those topics can be used to provide a visual description of what is considered the opposite of beauty. I mean if things like death, insanity and war were beautiful, we'd have postcards, birthday and Christmas cards with skulls and grim reapers on them sent to our loved ones wishing them a Merry Christmas or a happy birthday. But no we're stuck with flowers, candles, teddy Bears and balloons.

The roots of heavy metal trace back to the late 60s, where some claim, that Jimi Hendrix’s heavy Blues Guitar style was one of the first instances of Heavy metal, while others pin it to led Zeppelin and Jimmy Page’s Heavy Riffing, but then again the latter seems to be the more substantial claim. This is valid because Led Zeppelin have been and are still continually sited as being the first heavy metal band and thus the inventors of the genre. The best example of heavy metal in Led zeppelin’s sound can be heard in the fast and heavy, “Achilles’ last stand.” Though you wouldn't categorically say that Led zeppelin was an all out heavy metal band, and yes they may have sounded heavy, but had way too many blues and folk songs to be considered as the first real heavy metal band. So we'll continue to say that black sabbath are the God fathers of this genre. Heavy metal as a genre has a number of sub genres attached to it, sub genres like Thrash metal, Death metal, pop metal, speed metal, groove metal, progressive metal and other sub genres

Choosing a list of great heavy metal songs is not as easy as it seems, because, there are just way too many great heavy metal songs out there. There are quite literally numerous songs vying for a place on this list. So if you don't see your favorite song on here, comment below and tell us why you think it deserves to be on the list.

10 Raining blood-Slayer 

It is without a doubt impossible to find a die hard heavy metal fan who doesn’t know Slayer, or this thrash metal master piece. The song was written by late guitarist Jeff Hanneman and his guitar partner Kerry King. The riff on this song is an incredible piece of guitar work, and the chorus by Tom Araya, is just powerful. This song along with other Slayer great like Seasons in the abyss, make slayer arguably the greatest Thrash metal band ever.  


9.Walk -Pantera

This right here is groove metal at its best. One of the great Dimebag Darrell’s  finest riffs. It has great rage filled vocals from Phil Anselmo, and the chorus is just awesome, how could someone not want to head bang to this heavy metal master piece. The message in the song really does justice to the name of its parent album, “ vulgar display of power.” It goes with out saying that Dimebag Darrel's guitar playing did a lot to sell the song as well as other incredible hits on that album such as "cowboys from hell," which has an incredible riff as well of course the incredible vocals of Phil Anselmo.

       8. Ace of spades- Motor head

                                                                                                                                                                   

      The speed and intensity of this song sets it apart from most heavy metal songs. The distorted bass playing by Lemmy kilmister that opens the song and the incredible guitar riff are nothing to joke about. This song is without a doubt a fine speed metal classic. Lets put it this way, without Ace of spades or motor head, we would not have speed metal or thrash metal. This song laid down the law for thrash metal and as such led to the emergence of great thrash metal bands like Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax. 

       7. Holy Diver - Dio

When you look at Dio’s impressive body of work, one song stands out the most, and that song is holy diver. Holy diver has a distinctive Vivian Campbell riff that is quite literally one of the most well known riff’s in heavy metal, its just nothing short of incredible. But the riff isn’t the only good thing about holy diver, because with Dio’s vocals, the song wouldn't really have shot to as much success as it did. Dio was without a doubt an incredible heavy metal front man and his soaring vocals on holy diver tell all you need to know about his vocals prowess

    

      6. Painkiller-Judas Priest

      This is the painkiller, Arguably Judas priest finest song. It has an incredible guitar riff, played by two great heavy metal guitarists in K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton. The two combine their guitar skills to bring to the foray, pure heavy metal Elysium and not forgetting their dual guitar solo at the end. Painkiller is a great heavy metal song not just because of the instruments, there’s also the Rob Halford factor. This man is a heavy metal front man of the first order, he is one of the finest there ever was, and ever will be, his scream by itself is an unstoppable force of nature, emulating it is a feat, not many can achieve. 

           5.Holy wars(The punishmentdue)-Megadeth

 When it comes to heavy metal riffing, there are few better than the incredible Dave Mustaine, and this song outline his incredible riffing ability, he really goes all out on this one. Written by Dave Mustaine, Holy wars the punishment due is the opening track of Megadeth's 1990 album, Rust in peace. The song is an intense thrash metal track that sits right up there with thrash metal’s finest song. This song along with other great thrash hits like, hangar 18, symphony of destruction and Peace sells, put Dave Mustaine's  Megadeth among thrash Metal's big four bands and also cemented their place in the heavy metal community.

          4. Crazy train-Ozzy Osbourne

      Crazy train is a heavy metal gem from the prince of darkness’ illustrious career, and was the first single from his debut album, Blizzard of Ozz. Crazy train combine’s great guitar playing, great lyrics and the demented vocals of Ozzy Osbourne to create a fine heavy metal anthem. Its hard or otherwise close to impossible to find a heavy metal riff better than this Randy Rhoads monster riff, you’d be better off attempting to count from one to infinity, than finding a better heavy metal riff. And lets not leave out that face melting  Randy Rhoads guitar solo as well. Lets just say this song is the one that put Ozzy back on his horse after her was booted out of black sabbath, and he has the late Randy Rhoads to thank, may he RIP. 

           3. Paranoid-Black sabbath

      No list of great heavy metal songs is ever complete without a song from the Godfathers of heavy metal. It was hard to choose just one song from the impressive work of Black sabbath, with great songs like, war pigs, iron man, sabbath bloody sabbath, heaven and hell among other. But the choice this time was paranoid, not just for it’s incredible Tony Iommi riff but also the dark and twisted Lyrics written by Bassist Geezer Butler as well as Ozzy's incredible singing. Most heavy metal songs are very long, but this song is actually short and brief, but that doesn’t take anything away from its greatness.

           2. Master of puppets-Metallica

Master of puppets is ideally the most definitive Metallica song, with incredible riffing from one of the best rhythm guitarists around, James Hetfield, as well a great solo from Hammett Kirk. This song embodies the quintessential Metallica song, boasting a monstrous riff as well as portraying Metallica's great thrashing skill. It really is a fine piece of thrash metal heaven. This song isnt the only great metallica hit, they have other great hit like One, Enter sand man and Seek n Destroy all of which could've made the list, but they are clearly not better than the master of puppets.         

     
    1. The Number of the beast-iron maiden

The number of the beast is a dark and otherwise devilish song written by bassist Steve Harris. This song right here outlines Iron Maiden’s immortality in the heavy metal community. The number of the beast is not a song for the faint heart-ed, with its menacing riff, and its surrealist dark lyrics. I mean With lines like, “666, the number of the beast, 666 the one for you and me,” the song is sure to raise a few hairs down one’s back while they listen to it. It goes without saying that this song is one of incredible front man, Bruce Dickinson’s finest songs, it really has him pulling out all the stops to have us gripped to our seats on this devilish journey to the hell and back. One could also site other great iron maiden songs like hallowed be thy name, fear of the dark, The trooper and Run to the hills as deserving a place on this list, because they're all incredible heavy metal songs. But none of them are quite up to the level as the number of the beast 

For other great heavy metal songs you can try out these great songs below.

War pigs-black sabbath

Hallowed be thy name-Iron maiden

Tornado of souls-Slayer

War pigs-black sabbath

One-Metallica

Star gazer-rainbow

the trooper-Iron maiden

breaking the law-Judas priest

cemetery gates -pantera

Mr Crowley-Ozzy Osbourne

killed by death-Death

the last in line -Dio

Indians-Anthrax

Left behind-slipknot